System for providing engine lubrication for extended time periods

ABSTRACT

A lubrication system for extending times period between changing engine lubricant may include a tank and a lubricant exchange apparatus. The lubricant exchange apparatus may comprise a first pump in fluid communication with the engine and the tank to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank, a second pump in fluid communication with the tank for transferring lubricant from the tank to the engine, and a control element configured to cause the first pump to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element. The control element may be configured to cause the second pump to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank and transfer the quantity to the engine.

BACKGROUND Field

The present disclosure relates to lubrication systems and more particularly pertains to a new system for providing engine lubrication for extended time periods which can reduce maintenance frequency for the engine.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a lubrication system for extending a time period between changing lubricant in an engine having a lubricant collection element configured to hold a quantity of lubricant. The lubrication system may comprise a tank configured to hold a quantity of lubricant and having a tank inlet and a tank outlet, and a lubricant exchange apparatus configured to exchange lubricant between the engine and the tank. The lubricant exchange apparatus may comprise a first pump in fluid communication with the lubricant collection element of the engine and the tank to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank when the first pump is operated, a first conduit configured to connect the first pump to the lubrication collection element, and a second conduit connecting the first pump to the tank. The lubricant exchange apparatus may also comprise a second pump in fluid communication with the tank for transferring lubricant from the tank to the engine, a third conduit connecting the second pump to the tank, and a fourth conduit configured to connect the second pump to the engine. The lubricant exchange apparatus may further comprise a control element configured to cause the first pump to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element, with the control element being configured to cause the second pump to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank and transfer the quantity to the engine.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system which may comprise an engine including a lubricant collection element configured to hold a quantity of lubricant, and a lubrication system for extending a time period between changing lubricant in an engine having a lubricant collection element configured to hold a quantity of lubricant. The lubrication system may comprise a tank configured to hold a quantity of lubricant and having a tank inlet and a tank outlet, and a lubricant exchange apparatus configured to exchange lubricant between the engine and the tank. The lubricant exchange apparatus may comprise a first pump in fluid communication with the lubricant collection element of the engine and the tank to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank when the first pump is operated, a first conduit fluidly connecting the first pump to the lubrication collection element, and a second conduit connecting the first pump to the tank. The lubricant exchange apparatus may also comprise a second pump in fluid communication with the tank for transferring lubricant from the tank to the engine, a third conduit connecting the second pump to the tank, and a fourth conduit fluidly connecting the second pump to the engine. The lubricant exchange apparatus may further comprise a control element configured to cause the first pump to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element, with the control element being configured to cause the second pump to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank and transfer the quantity to the engine.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the more important elements of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional elements of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment or implementation in greater detail, it is to be understood that the scope of the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and implementations and is thus capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The advantages of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the disclosure, are disclosed in the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is given to the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a new system for providing engine lubrication for extended time periods according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an engine and a lubricant filter assembly, according to an illustrative embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a lubricant exchange apparatus, according to an illustrative embodiment, with portions broken away to reveal detail.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the lubricant exchange apparatus, according to an illustrative embodiment, with portions broken away to reveal detail.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a tank of the lubrication system, according to an illustrative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new system for providing engine lubrication for extended time periods embodying the principles and concepts of the disclosed subject matter will be described.

The applicant has recognized that the operation of engines for various purposes, and in particular engines that are relatively stationary and operate in remote locations, face operational limitations based at least in part upon fuel consumption and maintenance. While simply enlarging a fuel tank or providing access to a fuel pipeline can resolve the need for fuel, maintenance needs such as the replacement of lubricating oils place a more significant limitation upon the period over which an engine can be operated without interruption or being taken offline. Additionally, in the case of engines located at remote locations, the disadvantage of taking an engine offline is exacerbated by the fact that maintenance personnel must be transported to and from the engine, sometimes in very difficult environmental conditions. Applicant has thus recognized that the ability to prolong or extend the time period over which an engine may operate without requiring lubricant replacement would be beneficial. Furthermore, applicant has recognized that apart from the debris and soot that accumulates in the lubricant which may be filtered out, one of the biggest factors in the degradation of the performance and life of the lubricant is continued exposure of the lubricant to high temperatures typically experienced by lubricants in an internal combustion engine. Applicant has thus recognized that reducing the temperature that a lubricant is exposed to over a long period of time is advantageous for extending the life of the lubricant and thus extending the periods between the times when the lubricant needs to be replaced.

Thus, the applicant has devised a system in which an engine is provided with a lubrication system in which a greater quantity of lubricant is employed to lubricate the engine to lower the overall exposure of a unit of lubricant to the operational temperature of the engine, but with little or no modification the engine itself. To that end, applicant has devised a system in which a quantity of lubricant is removed from the engine (or a collection element associated with the engine, such as an oil pan) and is substantially simultaneously or soon thereafter replaced with a quantity of lubricant from a tank such that quantities of lubricant are effectively interchanged between the engine and the tank to maintain normal operating lubricant levels in the engine while providing a relatively large quantity of lubricant for the engine. The quantity of lubricant removed to the tank is able to cool down in the tank, and a quantity of relatively cooler lubricant is drawn from the same tank to replace the lubricant removed from the engine. The intermittent cooling off of the lubricant in the system through the intermittent lubricant exchanges tends to extend the effective life of the lubricant.

The applicant has also recognized that a challenge to long-term engine operation is the filtration of the engine lubricant. The applicant has devised a system that utilizes a plurality of filters that filter the lubricant in parallel such that larger quantities of the lubricant may be moved through the filtering apparatus and such that clogging of one filter simply results in a redirection of lubricant to one of the other parallel filters.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a system 10 which may comprise an engine 12, which in many embodiments comprises an internal combustion engine utilizing a lubricant and internal lubrication system to circulate the lubricant internally. In many embodiments, the engine is of the wet sump type, although aspects of the disclosure may be applied to dry sump applications as well. The engine 12 may include a crank case 13 as well as a lubricant collection element 14 which is configured to hold a quantity of the lubricant for circulation in the engine. In some embodiments, the lubricant collection element 14 may comprise an oil pan mounted on the crank case and positioned to catch lubricant that drips off of lubricated parts in the crank case, but may also include a tank separate from the engine through which the circulating lubricant is continually passed.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a lubrication system 20 may be provided for extending a time period between change-out of the lubricant for the engine. The lubrication system 20 may comprise a tank 22 which is configured to hold a quantity of the lubricant, and the tank may be separate and spaced from the engine and may not form a portion of the path through which lubricant is continuously circulated by, for example, an oil pump integrated with the engine and which directly provides lubricant to the parts of the engine requiring continuous lubrication. The tank 22 may have a tank inlet 24 and a tank outlet 26.

The lubrication system 20 may further include a lubricant exchange apparatus 28 which is configured to exchange lubricant between the engine 12 and the tank 22. The lubricant exchange apparatus 28 may include a first pump 30 which is in fluid communication with the lubricant collection element 14 of the engine and also with the tank 22 in order to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank when the first pump is operated. A first conduit 32 may connect the first pump 30 to the lubrication collection element 14, and the conduit 32 may be connected to the lubricant removal port 16 of the lubricant collection element 14. The first conduit may be connected to an inlet of the first pump 30. A second conduit 34 may connect the first pump 30 to the tank 22, and the second conduit may be connected to an outlet of the first pump, and the second conduit may also be connected to the tank inlet 24 of the tank 22.

The lubricant exchange apparatus 28 may also include a second pump 36 which may be in fluid communication with the tank 22 in order to transfer lubricant from the tank to the engine 12. A third conduit 38 may connect the second pump to the tank, and the third conduit may be connected to the tank outlet 26. The third conduit may be connected to an inlet of the second pump. A fourth conduit 40 may connect the second pump to the engine or to the lubricant filter assembly 56. The fourth conduit 40 may be connected to an outlet of the second pump, and may also be connected to an inlet 58 of the lubricant filtering assembly 56 or to a suitable lubricant receiving port on the engine 12.

The lubricant exchange apparatus 28 may also include a lubricant level sensor 42 which is configured to monitor a current quantity of lubricant held in the lubricant collection element 14. The lubricant level sensor 42 may be in communication with the control element 50 to provide a lubricant level signal 44 to the control element which is indicative of the current lubricant level in the collection element 14. The lubrication system 20 may also include a control element 50 which is configured to cause the first pump 30 to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element 14, and may also be configured to cause the second pump 36 to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank 22 and transfer the quantity to the engine or the lubricant filter assembly 56 in some embodiments. The control element 50 may be in communication with the lubricant level sensor 42 for receiving a lubricant level signal 44 and may be configured to compare the lubricant level indicated by the signal 44 to a predetermined maximum lubricant level. If the lubricant level indicated by the signal 44 exceeds the predetermined maximum lubricant level, the control element may be configured to cause the first pump 30 to pump lubricant from the lubricant collection element 14, which may be delivered to the tank. If the lubricant level falls below the predetermined minimum lubricant level, the control element may be configured to cause the second pump to pump lubricant to the lubricant collection element 14. Operation of the first pump may be discontinued by the control element when the signal 44 no longer indicates that the lubricant level exceeds the maximum lubricant level, and conversely the operation of the second pump may be discontinued by the control element when the signal 44 indicates that the lubricant level is greater than the predetermined minimum lubricant level.

In typical operation, the control element 50 may be configured to cause the first pump 30 to operate to pump a quantity of lubricant from the lubricant collection element 14 to the tank 22 of the lubrication system and also substantially simultaneously or within a short period thereafter cause the second pump 36 to operate to pump a quantity of lubricant from the tank 22 to the engine or the lubricant filter assembly 56. In some implementations, the quantity of lubricant removed from the lubricant collection element and the quantity removed from the tank and added to the lubricant collection element may be substantially equal to each other to facilitate maintenance of a suitable quantity of lubricant in the collection element 14. The quantity of lubricant that is pumped from the lubricant collection element may be a predetermined quantity, and may be a fraction of the quantity of lubricant normally held in the collection element 14. The quantity of lubricant pumped from the lubricant collection element may be less than the capacity of the lubricant collection element to hold lubricant. Illustratively, the quantity may be a quart or a plurality of quarts of the lubricant.

The control element 50 may be configured to operate the first pump to exchange a portion of the lubricant periodically and may be separated by a period or periods of nonoperation of the first pump between periods of operation such that the operation of the first pump is intermittent and may alternate periods of operation with periods of nonoperation. In implementations, the control element may be configured to operate the first pump for substantially equal time periods to remove the predetermined quantity of lubricant from the lubricant collection element, although the periods of operation may be irregular.

A lubricant filter assembly 56 may be provided which is configured to filter lubricant for the engine, such as the lubricant moving from the tank 22 of the lubrication system to the engine. The lubricant filter assembly 56 may have an inlet 58 for receiving lubricant to be filtered, and lubricant may be received from the tank as well as from the lubricant collection element 14 such that lubricant being actively circulated in the engine may also pass through the filter assembly 56. The filter assembly may include a bank of lubricant filters which are configured to filter the lubricant in flows parallel to each other such that lubricant only needs to pass through one of the filters in order to exit the filter assembly 56 and circulate, which allows the lubricant to flow through another filter when one of the filters becomes clogged with filtered debris. The ability of the filter assembly to effectively filter the lubricant is extended by the inclusion of additional filters, rather than relying upon a single filter. Conventional oil filters may be used in a manner that provides additional collective filter life.

The filter assembly 56 may include a manifold 60 which is configured to have at least two lubricant filters mounted thereon, and the manifold is configured to permit lubricant to flow into the and out of the filters in the parallel flow such that lubricant blocked from flowing through one of the lubricant filters is able to flow through another one of the filters. The filter assembly 56 may also include at least two of the lubricant filters 62, 64 which are mounted on the manifold 60 to receive lubricant to be filtered. The filters may be replaceably mounted on the manifold to permit their replacement and interchange with unused or clean filters.

It should be appreciated that in the foregoing description and appended claims, that the terms “substantially” and “approximately,” when used to modify another term, mean “for the most part” or “being largely but not wholly or completely that which is specified” by the modified term.

It should also be appreciated from the foregoing description that, except when mutually exclusive, the features of the various embodiments described herein may be combined with features of other embodiments as desired while remaining within the intended scope of the disclosure.

Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steps disclosed in the text and/or the drawing figures may be altered in a variety of ways. For example, the order of the steps may be rearranged, substeps may be performed in parallel, shown steps may be omitted, or other steps may be included, etc.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the disclosed embodiments and implementations, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the claims. 

I claim:
 1. A lubrication system for extending a time period between changing lubricant in an engine having a lubricant collection element configured to hold a quantity of lubricant, the lubrication system comprising: a tank configured to hold a quantity of lubricant and having a tank inlet and a tank outlet; a lubricant exchange apparatus configured to exchange lubricant between the engine and the tank, the lubricant exchange apparatus comprising: a first pump in fluid communication with the lubricant collection element of the engine and the tank to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank when the first pump is operated, a first conduit configured to connect the first pump to the lubrication collection element, a second conduit connecting the first pump to the tank; and a second pump in fluid communication with the tank for transferring lubricant from the tank to the engine, a third conduit connecting the second pump to the tank, a fourth conduit configured to connect the second pump to the engine; and a control element configured to cause the first pump to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element, the control element being configured to cause the second pump to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank and transfer the quantity to the engine.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the control element is further configured to cause the first pump to operate to pump a quantity of lubricant from the lubricant collection element of an engine to the tank of the lubrication system and cause the second pump to operate to pump a quantity of lubricant from the tank of the lubrication system to the engine.
 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the quantity removed from the lubricant collection element and the quantity removed from the tank are substantially equal.
 4. The system of claim 2 wherein the quantity of lubricant pumped from the lubricant collection element is a predetermined quantity.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the quantity of lubricant pumped from the lubricant collection element is less than a capacity of the lubricant collection element.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the control element is configured to operate the first pump to remove the quantity of lubricant from the lubricant collection element intermittently.
 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the control element is configured to discontinue operation of the first pump between periods of lubricant removal.
 8. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a lubricant filter assembly configured to filter lubricant moving from the tank of the lubrication system to the engine, the filter assembly including a bank of lubricant filters configured in parallel flows to each other.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the filter assembly includes a manifold configured to have at least two lubricant filters replaceably mounted therein, the manifold being configured to permit lubricant to flow to filters mounted thereon in parallel.
 10. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a lubricant level sensor configured to monitor a current quantity of lubricant in the lubricant collection element of an engine, the lubricant level sensor being in communication with the control element to provide a lubricant level signal to the control element indicative of a lubricant level in the lubricant collection element.
 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the control element is further configured to compare the lubricant level indicated by the lubricant level signal to a predetermined minimum lubricant level, and if the lubricant level falls below the minimum lubricant level, the control element is configured to cause the second pump to pump lubricant to the lubricant collection element,
 12. The system of claim 11 wherein if the lubricant level exceeds a predetermined maximum lubricant level, the control element is configured to cause the first pump to pump lubricant from the lubricant collection element.
 13. A system comprising: an engine including a lubricant collection element configured to hold a quantity of lubricant; and a lubrication system for extending a time period between changing lubricant in an engine having a lubricant collection element configured to hold a quantity of lubricant, the lubrication system comprising: a tank configured to hold a quantity of lubricant and having a tank inlet and a tank outlet; a lubricant exchange apparatus configured to exchange lubricant between the engine and the tank, the lubricant exchange apparatus comprising: a first pump in fluid communication with the lubricant collection element of the engine and the tank to transfer lubricant from the lubricant collection element to the tank when the first pump is operated, a first conduit fluidly connecting the first pump to the lubrication collection element, a second conduit connecting the first pump to the tank; and a second pump in fluid communication with the tank for transferring lubricant from the tank to the engine, a third conduit connecting the second pump to the tank, a fourth conduit fluidly connecting the second pump to the engine; and a control element configured to cause the first pump to operate to remove lubricant from the lubricant collection element, the control element being configured to cause the second pump to operate to remove a quantity of lubricant from the tank and transfer the quantity to the engine.
 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the control element is further configured to cause the first pump to operate to pump a quantity of lubricant from the lubricant collection element of an engine to the tank of the lubrication system and cause the second pump to operate to pump a quantity of lubricant from the tank of the lubrication system to the engine.
 15. The system of claim 14 wherein the quantity removed from the lubricant collection element and the quantity removed from the tank are substantially equal.
 16. The system of claim 13 wherein the control element is configured to operate the first pump to remove the quantity of lubricant from the lubricant collection element intermittently.
 17. The system of claim 13 additionally comprising a lubricant filter assembly configured to filter lubricant moving from the tank of the lubrication system to the engine, the filter assembly including a bank of lubricant filters configured in parallel flows to each other.
 18. The system of claim 13 additionally comprising a lubricant level sensor configured to monitor a current quantity of lubricant in the lubricant collection element of an engine, the lubricant level sensor being in communication with the control element to provide a lubricant level signal to the control element indicative of a lubricant level in the lubricant collection element.
 19. The system of claim 18 wherein the control element is further configured to compare the lubricant level indicated by the lubricant level signal to a predetermined minimum lubricant level, and if the lubricant level falls below the minimum lubricant level, the control element is configured to cause the second pump to pump lubricant to the lubricant collection element, 